At age 25, Yamen Saadi was announced as Concertmaster of the Wiener Staatsoper and Wiener Philharmoniker from the 2022/23 season. Described as having a “beguiling sound” by Berliner Morgenpost, Saadi maintains a busy career as both a soloist and chamber musician. His playing is characterized by serene lyricism, virtuosity, and elegance beyond his years.

As a soloist, Saadi performs with orchestras such as the Staatskapelle Berlin, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Naples Philharmonic, among others. Conductors with whom he collaborates include Daniel Barenboim, Lionel Bringuier, Stephanie Childress, Kevin John Edusei, Lawrence Foster, Leonidas Kavakos, and Antonello Manacorda.

Saadi performs at various festivals and venues across Europe, Asia, and the US. These include; Musikverein, Vienna; Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg; Philharmonie Berlin; Pierre Boulez Saal, Berlin; Concertgebouw, Amsterdam; Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical, Madrid, Musashino Civic Cultural Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York; and the Verbier Festival; Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival; Rheingau Festival; Rencontres Musicales d'Evian; Pau Casals Festival, and Tsinandali Festival.

In January 2022, Saadi released his first recital album Voices From Paris to critical acclaim. Recorded with pianist Nathalia Milstein and featuring works by Poulenc, Ysaÿe and Fauré, Saadi’s album was described as a “blend of virtuosity, lyricism and controlled expressivity” by Pizzicato.

Saadi was born in Nazareth and began studying the violin at the Barenboim-Said Conservatory in Nazareth, before studying under the guidance of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster Chaim Taub. At age 11, he joined the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and at age 17, became concertmaster of the orchestra. Saadi completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Barenboim-Said Academy and gained his Master’s degree at the Kronberg Academy where he studied with Mihaela Martin. In 2020, Saadi won first prize at both the Aviv and Paul Ben Haim Competitions, and has held scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the Prince von Hessen Award.

Saadi plays the 1734 “Lord Amherst of Hackney” Stradivari violin, previously owned by Fritz Kreisler, and a Jacob Eury bow, both generously loaned to him by Stephan Jansen on behalf of a member of the Stretton Society.

This is his first appearance at PMF.